Havana Nights
by Sam5
Summary: After 5 years after leaving Cuba, Katey has graduated college and after losing touch with Javier 2 years ago, returns to Havana to find out what has become of him.
1. Default Chapter

It had been almost 5 years since she had been back. She and Javier

had kept in touch, in the beginning, but after a year or two, the letters

came less and less. Katie wondered desperately what had happened.

Was something wrong? Something had to be wrong... Why else

wouldn't he write her? Too many questions. But she asked herself

the same questions every night, everyday. Finally after she graduated

college, Katey decided it was time to return to Cuba.

When she told her parents, her father just smiled gently and after a

time, told her to, "do what she felt she had to" Her mother, also told

her to follow her heart, but that she thought that Katey was old

enough to let go and just treasure the great memory of her

first real love. But she gave her blessing. Mrs. Miller no longer

judged people by their station in life. It was not the reaction she had

expected and appreciated the new outlook her mother had seemed to

take the last few years.

There was only one way to find out what had happened to Javier.

So she boarded a plane the night after graduation, bound for Havana.

She was afraid of what she might find, but knew it was the only way

to finally find peace. Maybe he had a wife, kids even. She prayed and

slept the entire way. Hoping she would find him alive, even if that

meant he was with someone else.

And at that moment, she didn't know which would hurt her more.


	2. Lonely Havana Days

When the plane touched down in Cuba, Katey Miller was asleep against the window. A flight attendant woke her softly, and Katey was pulled away from her dreams and back to reality. Was she really here, was she really doing this? Maybe her mother was right, she should leave this in the past and save herself the pain. But she knew she couldn't do that, she didn't come all this way for nothing. She would find out what had happened to Javier, even if it killed her.

She left the airport and settled into her hotel. After freshening up she went to the Oceana to touch base with Yolanda and take her to lunch. Yolanda was very happy to see her, but unfortunately, she did not know where Katey could find Javier.

"I think I know where I can find him, Yolanda, I was just wondering if maybe you had seen him in the past few years."

"He used to come by every once in a while, but after the revolution a lot of people just seemed to get lost. Things are not as we had expected they would be."

"Yes, I've heard."

"You have?"

Katey smiled.

After lunch the two women embraced in a fond farewell.

"I will try to stop by again before I leave."

"I hope you do." Yolanda replied. "It was very nice to see you Katey. And in case you were wondering, you still are no square."

Katey laughed; surprised she remembered and left Yolanda to return to work.

Katey looked at her check list.

Oceana – check

Suarez casa –

La Rosa Negra –

Her next stop was the Suarez's home. The entire walk there she kneaded her hands together, and the closer she got the harder her heart began to pound against her ribs.

She marched up to the metal gate, which had rusted since she had last touched it, and the look of it saddened her. She waited a moment, almost expecting someone to see her there and welcome her in. But no one appeared. She pushed the gate, but it did not open.

The house looked abandoned. But it couldn't be.

She saw an old man walking by and decided to ask him.

"¿Vive la familia Suarez aquí?"

"The no live there no more, child."

"Do you know where they have gone?" she asked desperately.

"No, lo siento."

"Gracias." Katey said, and the old man left her.

"Now what?" she said to herself.


	3. Anticipation

Katey returned to her hotel room to recuperate before venturing out that night. There

was only one more place she knew to find Javier... La Rosa Negra.

He had to be there. It was her last hope.

She called Suzy and told her how her day had gone.

"You sure didn't waste anytime did you?" Suzy said.

"I don't have the luxury of time, Suze."

"You'll find him, Katey. I know you will."

"Thanks, Suzy. Listen, I'll talk to you later. I have to get ready."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now go get him!"

Katey hung up the phone and decided that was exactly what she was going to do. She

was a woman on a mission, and that's how she treated it.

She dressed herself in what she thought Yolanda would approve of. Looking in the

mirror she smiled. She hadn't changed much in five years, but she _had_ changed. She

wondered how Javier had changed. Would they still feel the same about each other as

they once had?

She was thinking too much. Just go, Katey! Just do it.

She grabbed her purse and charged out the door before she had the chance to think twice.


	4. La Rosa Negra

Katey returned to La Rosa Negra with conflicting emotions. It felt good to be back, but

at the same time she was scared out of her mind. When she entered in the music was

blaring. She loved it, Just like old times, the place was steaming with hot music, and

even hotter dancing.

She ordered a drink, and took the opportunity to ask the bartender if he knew Javier.

"Javier?" he asked in a thick Cuban accent.

"Si." She replied.

"I know him."

"Is he here do you know?"

"Here? No, no he no here."

"Will he be here later?"

"He doesn't come around much now."

"Why?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm an old friend; I am just trying to find him. Do you know where I can find him?"

"I can't help you. I'm sorry."

Katey felt as if she could cry when suddenly a young woman approached her.

"You are looking for Javier Suarez, no?"

"Si, I mean, yes I am. Do you know him?"

"Si."

"Can you tell me where I can find him?"

"Why do you look for him?"

Why was this woman asking her this? Didn't she just hear her tell man at the bar?

"I'm just an old friend. I haven't spoken with him in a while and I just wanted to see if

he was all right." The woman looked at her suspiciously. "That's all I want I promise. I

just need to find him and know he is all right...." Silence. "Can you take me to him?"

"Follow me." The woman said.


	5. Discovery

They walked down the dark, narrow streets. The woman would stop mysteriously whenever she heard a noise that seemed unfamiliar to her. But they kept walking, farther and farther and Katey wondered if they would ever stop.

"What is your name?" Katey asked.

"Patricia." The woman answered. "Who are you?"

"Katey, Katey Miller."

The walked a little more.

"What do you want with Javier?"

"I used to know him some time ago, but we lost touch. I just want to make sure he is okay."

"Maybe he does not want to see you."

This hurt Katey, but she tried to hide it. "Maybe." She said.

Finally, they stopped on a sidewalk and Patricia turned to Katey.

"You will not tell him I told you where he was."

"If you don't want me to, I won't."

She nodded, and then pointed her finger toward a glowing window. The breeze blew her hair into her eyes and she tried to hold it back with her hand. She leaned over and glanced in the window. She saw Javier sleeping on the floor, a book in his hand. Katey smiled for a moment, he looked so sweet and peaceful.

Suddenly, a man ripped open the door. It was Carlos.

"Javi! Javier! You're going to be late for work! Go!"

Javier woke up almost frightened.

"What?" he said trying to look at his watch. "Oh, no." He clambered up off the floor and reached for his uniform shirt. Carlos took a hold of his brother by the shoulders.

"If you lose this job you are letting all of us down, Javier. Now go!"

Javier rushed out of the room and out the door.

What was that about? Katey thought to herself. She looked in the window only to see Carlos drinking his beer. Suddenly, he looked out the window, and saw her.


	6. Rude Awakenings

"I think it is best I go." Patricia said and she began to walk away quickly.

Katey watched her go, when she turned around; Carlos was standing in front of her.

"Never thought I'd see you here." He looked her up and down. "Come in."

"I, I'm here to see Javier." She said.

"I'm sure you know he just left."

"Yes, I saw that."

"Sit down."

They both sat in what she guessed was the kitchen. The house looked so run down. It

wasn't located in the best of neighborhoods either.

"When will Javier be back?"

"A few hours. Listen, a lot..." he paused. "Why are you here?"

Katey was getting very tired of explaining herself.

"I just wanted to know if Javier was okay. He stopped writing me and... I just had to

know."

"Are you getting married or something?"

"What?!"

"You want to make sure he is out of the picture, that he will give you his blessing? What?"

"No, that's not it at all."

"Maybe he's getting married."

"Is he?"

"Yeah, he is."

"You're lying."

"You hurt my brother real bad. I don't want to see him hurt like that again."

"I'm not here to hurt him."

"Then I think you better go."

"Just tell me, what has happened the last three years?"

"What do you mean?"

"In Javier's life. What has he done."

"He works. Most of the time he works." He said curtly. "Now leave."

Katey began walking to the door, but the door opened before she could reach for it and

Javier walked in.


	7. Dream

It was almost like a dream, seeing him again. He turned around and locked the door. Turned around, and saw her.

"K-Katey?" he said walking toward her.

"Javier." She said with a light smile.

He rushed toward her and embraced her.

"I never thought- What are you doing here?" he said grinning.

"It's a long story. Could we talk somewhere in private?"

"Yeah, come with me."

"Don't listen to her, Javier. She's getting married!" Carlos screamed at his brother.

Javier looked at her.

"What?! No I'm not." She turned to Javier. "You're the one who's married."

"No, I'm not." Javier said. "Carlos, you told her I was married?"

Carlos stood there, almost sulking.

"Let's go." Javier said putting his arm around Katey and leading her out the door.

He walked down the street to his car and opened the door for her. It was silent. He stared out the windshield, and she stared at him.

"I'm sorry about Carlos."

"It's okay." She said.

"No, it's not. He's just been so... I don't know. He's been different, yet the same. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes."

Then he looked at her as if he were just realizing she were there.

"I can't believe you are here. It almost feels like a dream or something."

"I know." She said, tears filling her eyes.

"Let's go somewhere." Javier started the car and drove down to the ocean.

"So..." Katey began, not knowing what to say as they sat there in silence.

"I have missed you." He said.

"I've missed you too."

"Are you married?"

"No! Not even close!" she laughed. "Are you?"

"No. Not even close." He smiled. Then he grew serious. "Katey, I have to know, why are you here? Now?"

"I wanted to see if you were all right." She repeated for the hundredth time.  
"How are you?"

"I can not complain really. A lot of people have it a lot worse than I do."

"Tell me anyway."

"Mama died a couple of years ago. We couldn't afford to keep the house, so we moved."

"Javier, I'm so sorry."

He smiled weakly.

"Thank you."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did."

"No, you didn't."  
"I wrote to you about it once."

"Why did you stop writing me?

"I didn't. You stopped writing me."

"No, I never."

"Carlos." He said, clearly disturbed. "He must have hidden them from me."

"He must have kept the letters you wrote to me as well."

"It doesn't matter, you are here now."

"Yes, I am."

"What has been happening in your life since you have been away?"

"Well, as you know, I've been going to University. I graduated, last night, actually."

"And you came here today?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I was afraid something had happened to you."

He leaned in and kissed her.

"I'm going to University too." He said.

"Javier, really? That's wonderful!"

"I go to school during the day, and work at night. I work at the school some days, but others I have class."

"That's really great, I'm so proud of you."

"I'm proud of you."

They stared at each other in the moonlight, flooded by memories and desires. They both ached for each other.

"This is like a dream." He said, as if reading her mind.


	8. Feels so right

"Yeah," Katey said. "But people wake from dreams."

"Not all the time." He said, giving her his boyish half grin that haunted her memories.

"I brought some of the letters I wrote you with me. I never sent them because I didn't know if you would get them."

"You kept them?"

"I didn't know if I would ever get the chance to give them to you."

"Can I see them?"

"Later." She smiled.

"Why?"

"I left them at the hotel." They laughed.

"Oh."

The moon was shining so brightly. The stars were like glitter, shimmering in place.

"I hoped you would return some day." He said.

"Me too. I kind of hoped that you would find me in America."

"I couldn't leave my family."

"I know."

"So, you have not had an American boyfriend then?"

"No."

Silence.

"You do not want to know if I have had a girlfriend?"  
"No."

"Why not?"

"I just don't care to know, that's all." It hurt to think of him with another.

"Okay....well, I haven't. In case you are curious."

"I'm not."

He took her hand.

"This feels so right."

"It does." She said. "You don't know how lonely my life was before I knew you."

"I know what you mean."

"I don't think you do. You have such passion. I have never seen anything like it. I was so empty."

"I have passion, but you are the other part of me, Katey. The whole time you were gone, I felt, well, I did not feel like myself. You don't know how happy you make me. You make me feel like a man, like more than I can be."

She leaned into him and he began to move his hands over her body.

"Te amo, Katey." He whispered.

How she had longed to hear those words from his lips. To feel his touch, to feel his body against her. They gave into each other completely, with no hesitation.

The moon shone brightly over the thousands of people in Cuba that night, and it began to disappear with the dawn, but for a moment Javier and Katey felt they were the only ones on the island.

They woke in the early morning in each others arms. Katey opened her eyes, she was fully satisfied. How could she ask for anything more. Here in the morning, things looked a little different. She could get a clear look at Javier, and see how he had changed in the five years since she had left him. He looked stronger physically, yet so tired. There was a small scar on his hairline on his forehead. She remembered thinking last night that there was a distant pain in his eyes. But as he opened his eyes and saw her, the pain seemed to have vanished.

"Good morning." Katey said.

"And a very good night." He kissed her forehead. "I am completely happy."

"You too, huh?"

They sat up and watched the sun beginning to rise.

"I wish I could stay here, right here, in this moment forever."

"Why can't you? Stay with me, Katey. Stay forever."

"I don't know if I can." A piece of her died after she said it.

"Why not?" he fumed. "Did you come here just to..."

"Javier, I love you."

"Then why can't you stay?"

"It's not that simple. I hadn't really thought about staying. I was just concerned about finding you again.."

"Don't make your decision now. Let's take it day by day."

"Day by day." Katey repeated... full of conflict.


	9. Much to consider

How could Katey tell Javier that she had a life back in America, a family who loved her and wanted her on home soil? She loved him very much, and knew that if she told him this it would break his heart. Why did she have to give up her homeland for him? Why couldn't he come to America?

"Javier?" she started.

"Yes?"

"About me staying here."

"What about it?"  
"I don't know if it would work. I mean, I have missed you so long, so very long. I don't know if I could bear to lose you again. It hurts so much just thinking about it. But I don't know if I could just pack up everything to live here."

"I don't understand. I thought that...after last night. We love each other."

"I know, I do love you. I love you so much."

"But you do not want to stay with me?"

"I do want to stay with you. Just not here..."

"It shouldn't matter where we are, as long as we are together."

"Exactly. So why can't you come to America?"

He seemed surprised that she had asked him that.

"What?"

"Why not?" she said.

"I don't know. I never thought of that."

They sat together, the silence absorbed everything surrounding them.

"We have a lot to think about." She said.

"Yes." He replied quietly. "I think I need to be alone for a while."

"All right." Katey said.

Javier opened his car door and began to get out. He leaned in and kissed Katey gently.

"You can take the car back to your hotel. I will meet you there later."

"When?" she said. She didn't want to pin him down, but she wanted to know when to expect him back.

He looked at his watch.

"Five o' clock."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

She watched him as he began to walk down the long sandy beach. Her watch said it was eleven in the morning. He would be gone a long time.

Katey sat in the car where just last night they had united in passion. Something they had both yearned for for what seemed like ages. It had been ages.

She didn't regret it. She knew it would go into her memory, a special place in her heart that she saved only for Javier. A place where she could go visit him in her dreams.

She was a little offended, Javier left so suddenly. Katey had thought he may wish to sit and talk with her about it. But he had left, like the wind.

She wondered how he was feeling and wondered if he was thinking about how she was feeling, did he care? "Of course he did", she consoled herself. He must.

Katey had heard about women giving everything up for their husbands, for lovers, for men. She had seen it first hand and lived it. She didn't want to be one of those women, Those women were happy, but she wanted someone to give up something for her. But she did find it hard to resist Javier and his charms. She did want to give up everything for him. She loved him. But she had to be strong.


	10. Katey's Smile

Javier started down the long stretch of sand and watched the waves slide back and forth. "Where am I going?" he thought to himself... I should be with Katey. But he also felt he needed to clear his mind. He worried that if he stayed there with her they would both end up saying something they'd regret.

What should I do? I don't want to leave my country... it is my home.

Katey must be feeling the same. But she left her home once, couldn't she do it again? For me? Am I being selfish?

He continued walking. Finally he removed his shoes and felt the sand move between his toes. He walked miles, up and down the beach. He saw people. Kids, families, lovers. He wanted that in his life so very much, but wondered if any of those people had to go through what he and Katey had to.

Could he leave La Rosa Negra? What was left of his family?

Questions like that kept entering his mind.

Finally he reached a decision, it was tough, but he knew it was right. In the end it was the only choice he could have made.

Now, he had to tell Katey...

Javier began walking the beach again, back toward the car, toward the hotel.

After a mile or so, he saw some of the kids he had seen earlier. This time they were with a tall, dark dressed man. Suddenly one of them screamed.

Javier ran toward them,

"What's going on?"

"Help! Por Favor!"

Javier tried to push the man away from the children.

The man turned around and pulled a knife out.

"Déme su dinero." He said, aiming it at Javier.

Javier pulled out his wallet and gave it to the man. The man took it covetously.

"Leave them alone!" Javier said pointing to the children. "Take my money and go."

The man stabbed him in the stomach several times, he dropped the wallet, and then he and the children ran away with the money. Javier realized he had been tricked.

He fell to his knees, his life's blood draining onto the beach. It felt like slow motion, the knife coming at him, the sharp pain in his stomach was excruciating.

He could feel the warmth flowing out of him. Money flew across the sand in front of him. He could here people yelling from behind him.

A middle aged man appeared cradled him in his arms. He felt so weak, so cold. He began to fall in and out of consciousness. His eyes began to cloud over and blacken. Somewhere he could hear someone say,

"I think we have lost him now." And, "He's lost too much blood."

He could feel his body trembling. This is not how it is supposed to end, he thought. He looked up and saw Katey's smile. Was she really there?

How can I be dying? She came back for ME! She is here for me! She is waiting for me now! But all he could see was Katey's smile...


	11. Search & Desperation

Alone in her room, Katey waited for Javier to return from his walk. She hoped he was all right. She hoped he was not mad at her. "Stand your ground, Katey," she told herself. She knew that if nothing else, she would return again someday and stay with him.

She waited until early in the morning... She glanced at the clock, one in the morning. Where could he be? She did not know if it was like in America, if she could call the hospitals and police stations and find out if anyone had seen him. So she waited.

An hour later, she was awakened by her hotel phone ringing.

"Javier?" she answered.

"Katey Miller?"

"Yes."

"Do you know a Javier Suarez?"

"Yes, Senor."

"I am sorry to tell you that he was involved in a stabbing today at around three o' clock this afternoon."

"Oh, my God." Her knees gave way and she fell to the floor.

"He has asked us to call you."

"Is he all right? I mean is he?..." she trailed off...

"I think you had better come to the hospital as soon as you can senorita."

"Yes, of course."

The man on the phone gave her the address and she darted out the door.

When she reached the hospital, Katey feared she was too late. She could not find anyone that spoke much English, and her Spanish was not... perfect.

"¿Puedo ayudarle?" a doctor asked her.

"English?" she answered.

"Si."

"I am looking for Javier Suarez. I received a phone call saying he was a patient here. He was stabbed earlier today? I need to find him! Please help me."

"Of course, senorita. Please, wait right here."

The doctor disappeared for a moment and reappeared with a clipboard.

"Please follow me." He said.

He led her to a dark white room.

"In here?" Katey asked the doctor.

"Si." He said grimly.

She walked in to the room slowly. There were other patients in the room, she tried not to look at them, and she thought they were all asleep.

Finally she saw who she thought was Javier laying in a faded, much used bed. Katey walked over to the bed and kneeled down on the floor beside him. She reached for his hand.

"Javier." She breathed, her lips trembling.

He didn't move. "Oh dear", she thought. "Javier don't leave me now. We've been through too much."

She was determined to sit there till he woke up. Meanwhile and orderly explained to her that Javier was attempting to help some children when he was stabbed, and how the entire thing had been a con.

Katey was truly touched, but she knew that was just how Javier was. He would do anything to help, even if it meant his life. He was always thinking of others and was the most selfless person Katey knew.

She prayed silently beside him, watching him exhale, praying he would inhale again, that he would hold on for her. And she desperately wished that there was a way to let him know she was there with him now. And that she loved him.


	12. Time will Tell

She didn't know where they would go from here. Could she really ask Javier to go to America with her after what had just happened to him? She may even have to stay in Cuba to take care of him... she knew Carlos wouldn't.

With out her there he would have no one. She knew what she had to do, and if Javier asked her to stay with him again, she would.

Katey looked at Javier's resting body. He didn't seem to be in any pain, but, oh, how he must be. Katey could not even comprehend something like getting stabbed... to have another human being attack their brother, their countryman.

A few hours later the hospital room door creaked open and Katey awoke from what little sleep she had just had. It was the doctor who had helped her earlier in the morning.

"You found him then?" he said. "This is good."

"Will he be okay?"

"It is too soon to tell really. I am optimistic."

"Thank you for all of your help."

"De nada." He smiled. "I think you had better leave the room for a few minutes. Clear your head."

"No, thank you. I don't want to leave."  
"I understand that, but we need to give these patients their medicine. We need to dress their wounds, including your friend's. I do not think you want to see that."

"But I-"

"He was cut several times, senorita."

"I understand. Still, I think I would rather stay."

"You are more than friends then?"

"Si."

"As you wish."

The doctor left and returned with two Cuban nurses. They made the rounds, going around from bed to bed, patient to patient, each in suffering. The doctor himself attended to Javier. He lifted the bandages, and exposed Javier's wounds to the open air.

"What is your name?" the doctor asked while dressing Javier's lesions.

Katey knew he was trying to keep her from looking at the cuts. But she could not.

"Katey." She answered him, watching everything he was doing to Javier.

"I am Dr. Mendez."

"Nice to meet you." She said passively.

"Yes. I am sorry we had to meet under these circumstances." The doctor seemed completely focused on his work... He began to clean the stitches.

Katey turned away and stared at the floor. Dr. Mendez saw this from the corner of his eye and he had to resist the urge to tell her, I told you so. He refrained and finished his job.

"I am finished." He said to Katey.

"Oh, I thought maybe I had dropped something on the floor."  
"Really, what is it; maybe I can help you find it."

"That's okay. It is not important."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you." She returned her gaze to Javier. "When will he wake up Dr. Mendez?"

"He is very heavily medicated at the moment, but it should not be too much longer. These next hours will be critical. If you think it would help him by you being here, I encourage you to stay with him. However, if you believe it will make him angry, or stressed, I think maybe it would be better if you came back at some later time."

"Thank you, Dr. Mendez."

"Raul. Please call me Raul, Katey." He smiled sweetly at her.

"Thank you." She said again.

Raul left, Katey drew inside herself and wondered if her being there really would help Javier. She thought it would, but she also thought that her presence may arouse some type of hostile emotion as well. She only wanted Javier to get well. That is what he needed most.

She was torn.


	13. Slumber my Darling

Sorry it took so long to update. I didn't have access to a computer for a long time and just started college.

Thank you all for your reviews and patience! Again: I don't own the characters but the story is my own. Katey's song is borrowed from Alison Krauss. Let me know what you think.

Katey decided that she had to stay by Javier's side whether he liked it or not. In the evenings she would sing to him the same song her mother had sung to her as a child, but changed some of the words to fit her situation:

"Slumber my darling, thy lover is near. Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,  
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,  
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.  
Sweet visions attend thy sleep,  
Fondest, dearest to me,  
While others their revels keep,  
I will watch over thee."

Hours passed, then days, finally a weak later Javier's medication was reduced and he regained full consciousness.

"Javier?" Katey said gently.

"Hmmm" He mumbled.

Katey breathed a sigh of relief. He squinted his eyes open and looked around him.

"Katey?" he said weakly.

"Yes." She said. "I'm here."

He started to sit up and winced.

"Just lay back. Do you remember what happened?"

He nodded. "Yes." His long dark hair fell across his left eye. She brushed it away. "He stabbed me for no reason. I had already given him my wallet. There was no reason for –"

"I know." She said. Katey wondered to herself why things happened that way. Life is so strange, she thought. But things like this happen all the time.

"How long have you been here?"

"A week, same as you." She smiled.

"A week?!" he put a hand on his forehead. "I thought maybe I had been hereâ€ a day. I don't know."

"It's okay, Javier. You won't have to be here much longer."

"What do you mean?"

"I spoke with Dr. Mendez and he said you may be well enough to go soon. Maybe within the next week."

"Dr. Mendez?"

"Yes, your doctor. He saved your life, Javier."

He lay there contemplating everything that had happened to him in the past week.

"What are you thinking of?" Katey asked him.

"Everything."

She gave a slight laugh.

"Tell me."

"I have just lost a week of my life."

"You mustn't think of it like that, Javier."

"How must I look at it? It is true."

"Yes, but-"

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life making up that weekâ€ to you." Katey watched him intently. "I should not have left you alone. I should have stayed and talked to you about everything. I was wrong."

"No, I understand. You needed time to think about it all. I understand. And I understand that you want to be here, your life is here, your family."

"But I asked you to leave your life and family. I do not want to be one of those husbands who makes his wife give up everything for him. I could not live with myself that way. That is no life. I love that you have things you loveâ€ besides me." He flashed his boyish smile and Katey felt she would melt in her chair.

"One of those husbands?"

"Yeah. Katey, I love you. And I know now is not the time butâ€I have had time taken from me this week. It has made me realize how much I do love you. I want to marry you. Will you be mine?"

Katey felt that she would explode. Her heart was pounding, her breathing was fast.

"Y-yes." She kneeled on the floor by his bed and kissed his hand, and then his lips.

"Yes?"

She nodded uncontrollably, "Yes."

They kissed passionately and soon became aware of the other patients in the room.

They looked at each other and laughed. They didn't care who saw them, they had been apart too long, had to hide too long. Now they could be together, forever, and start the life they had dreamed of since they first met.


End file.
